PEGS' Founder Michelle was delighted to join Carrie Bower on her podcast recently to discuss the incredibly important and often hidden issue of child-to-parent abuse (CPA). As many of you know, raising awareness of CPA is at the heart of everything we do at PEGS, so it was a privilege to have the opportunity to share our insights with Carrie and her audience.

Child-to-parent abuse is an issue that continues to be widely misunderstood, yet it affects more families than people might realise. During the discussion, Michelle and Carrie explored the different ways CPA can present itself, including physical, verbal, financial, and emotional abuse, as well as coercive control. They also spoke about the immense stigma and isolation that parents experiencing CPA often feel, and why it’s so crucial that they know they are not alone.

One of the key points highlighted was that CPA can impact anyone, regardless of background, and there is no ‘typical’ family affected. Both organisations know how difficult it can be to acknowledge that abuse is happening, particularly when it’s coming from your own child – but it’s so important to seek support.

Carrie, who works tirelessly to raise awareness of domestic abuse in later life through her platform, Visible Later Lives, was incredibly open to discussing CPA and how it can intersect with wider domestic abuse issues. It was fantastic to speak with someone who shares our passion for ensuring that no one feels invisible or unheard when facing abuse.

If you missed the podcast, we highly recommend giving it a listen on the link below. The more we talk about CPA, the more we can break down the stigma and make sure parents and carers know there is support available.

Listen to the podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4pB6Q3uD021NAPJohF4CHs?si=-NNFqyZhQDm-QQ4Oh0F3Rw

A huge thank you to Carrie for having Michelle on her podcast – together, we can keep pushing for change.